Most modern communication protocols and standards, both wired and wireless, place a premium on communication performance and are less concerned with power management issues within a corresponding system or network. For example, some standards define link negotiation procedures that always select a fastest link available with little or no consideration given to the higher power consumption associated with the faster link. In many cases, power management is not even addressed within a protocol or standard and, when it is, it is often limited in scope and complexity. For example, some systems simply provide power management that is either on or off with little or no advance handshaking before a device goes into a power save mode. There is a need for processes, protocols, and structures that provide a higher level of power management functionality within communication systems, networks, and devices.